so how would you spend $100,000?

Imagine that you had $100,000 to spend on anything you wanted. The only catch is that it needs to be spent, no investing or saving allowed. If the spending is something long term, like school, then the spending of this fictive cash has to start ASAP.

When you're done, post your responses as a comment and post this in your journal.

Now let's see, what would I do?

First and formost, I'd finance a master's program in history, specifically American and Caribbean slave history. Tuition: at least 11k, and that's in-state. Housing: 2 years, two-person apartment at $500 a month would be 12k. Books would be, oh say, one thousand and that has no basis in anything other than a wild estimate. Total: 23k. Remaining: 77k.

But to prepare for a program on comparative American and Caribbean slavery, I need to go to the source...Key West. My next big purchase would be a year's worth of living in Key West. Conservatively, that's 1k a month for my own, fully air conditioned apartment. Then let's figure in another 2k of startup expenses, though I'll certainly get a job while I'm there. That's the only way to learn what it's really like to live there, and to pay for all my seafood and key lime pie. Total: 14k. Remaining: 63k.

Next up: taking care of some unfinished business with running. I want to run the Athens Marathon with Apostolos Greek Tours. First class airfare, no holds barred vacation and marathon of a lifetime. Let's figure 3.5k for the travel package plus 2.5k for the first class airfare. Total: 6k. Yes, six thousand bucks for two weeks of vacation. I can dream, can't I? Remaining: 57k.

My dream Outward Bound course: 65 days of kayaking and sailing in the Caribbean. I'd be happy, even if my sunburnt skin wouldn't. Course tuition is 10k, plus airfare would be about 1k. Factor in supplies and stock in a sunscreen company and a visit to a dermatologist afterwards and I'd have to count on another 1k. If I want to hang around for a few days before and after to soak up the tropical drinks and food and atmosphere, that's another 1k. Total: 13k. Remaining: 44k.

Then after I recovered from that, I get to go to Boston and run the marathon. I'll qualify first, of course, either this fall or next spring. I'll splurge and stay at an $800 a night hotel for, oh say, 3 nights-one before and two after. Adding in entry fee, lots of food, a jacket and all kinds of race memorabilia, and supplies for two of my friends that'd be a lot of money but I'd get an in-house massage after running Heartbreak Hill. Total: 5k. Remaining: 39k.

For as long as I can remember, my family has wanted to take a cross-country trip via RV. My mom and I talked through this on a run a coupla weeks ago, and decided on a tentative cost including gas and airfare home from CA for 6 people. Total: 15k. Remaining: 24k.

A cute little car, specifically the Volkswagon Cambrio that I found at the used car dealership about a month ago. Used but in good condition it was 13k. Total: 13k. Remaining: 9k.

My friends and I, 10 people total, are going to go to dinner at Bahama Breeze. In Miami, preferably, but since I want to have some money left over for a shopping spree, we'll settle on Towson. All dinners and drinks will be included, and since I have the distinct feeling that most of us will not be able to drive home safely afterwards, we'll get hotel rooms, 4 total, and a taxi ride to the hotel. Let's figure $50 a person for dinner, then another $50 a person for the taxi and hotel. Total: 1k. Remaining: 8k.

With the remaining cash, I'd go on a shopping spree. Clothes, music, new CD player, treadmill, books galore, you name it. That'd use up the rest of that money.

So, how about you?

~Bethany